Finding Average Velocity between .7 m/s and -1.25 m/s

AI Thread Summary
To find the average velocity between two values, such as 0.7 m/s and -1.25 m/s, one must consider the context of the motion. Simply knowing the highest and lowest velocities is insufficient without understanding the behavior of the object during the transition between these velocities. The average velocity can be accurately calculated if the initial and final positions, along with the time taken, are known. If the object oscillates or changes velocity non-uniformly, additional information is required to determine the average. Thus, the average velocity calculation is contingent upon the nature of the motion and the available data.
Petrucciowns
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So far when calculating velocity I have used Initial velocity and Final velocity, but now I need to calculate the average velocity when given two separate velocity values, the highest velocity and the lowest velocity. So how would I find the average of velocity when I have a high of .7 m/s and a low of -1.25 m/s.

Thanks
 
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\bar{x} = \frac{\Sigma x}{N}OR to make life easier, the mean of 2 and 3 is (2+3)/5EDIT: yeah should be (2+3)/2
 
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Wait.. ,but if you divide anything by itself it is going to equal one. Also, how would I read that equation? I don't really understand it.
 
Petrucciowns said:
Wait.. ,but if you divide anything by itself it is going to equal one. Also, how would I read that equation? I don't really understand it.

N is the number of samples you have. In your case, 2. I think he meant to divide by 2.
 
Petrucciowns said:
So far when calculating velocity I have used Initial velocity and Final velocity, but now I need to calculate the average velocity when given two separate velocity values, the highest velocity and the lowest velocity. So how would I find the average of velocity when I have a high of .7 m/s and a low of -1.25 m/s.

Thanks
Actually there's not enough information to answer that. Does the velocity change smoothly (i.e. at a constant rate) from the high velocity to the low velocity, or from the low velocity to the high velocity? Or does it oscillate between the high and the low velocity? Or is there some other behavior?
 
Oh yah, there is a problem. Knowing the maximum and minimum can't show you what the average velocity if you're dealing with the same object. The initial and final positions allow you to tell what the average velocity was given how much time has passed.
 
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